Hunters Scent Control Tips & Scent Eliminators @ www.huntmdown.com
We can’t read a deer’s mind to know exactly how it reacts to various odors but it’s clear that we don’t have to get to zero human odor in order to avoid spooking deer. That’s good because zero human odor is pretty much an impossible goal. So, while it’s not possible to entirely eliminate human odor, it is possible to reduce your odor to the point where deer do not spook from the scent. They may believe the human is far away or perhaps have long since left the area but it is possible to keep your scent to a level where its faint enough that they won’t panic.
Another thing to consider is that not all odors spook deer and an odor that spooks one deer may not worry another. An example is diesel fuel. I’ve heard it said many times, ‘Don’t wear your hunting clothes while filling up your gas tank.’ That would seem to make sense but on the other hand, I know guys that use diesel fuel as a cover scent because deer in their area do not associate diesel fuel with danger. They are used to smelling diesel from the non-threatening farm equipment that they regularly encounter. Although there are other scents that deer associate with danger, the main one seems to be human sweat. One of the main places that sweat is generated and spread around is from the palms of your hands. One of the biggest things to do to control your scent is to spray your hands with a scent absorbing spray. Do it repeatedly. Spray your hands before you touch your equipment. Spray your hands before you put your hunting clothes on. Spray your hands again before you touch your tree. Etc., etc. Spray your hands multiple times each day. Did you drive to your spot? Then you must have touched the steering wheel of your vehicle, so spray your hands. When is the last time you sprayed or washed the handle of your bow case? SPRAY YOUR HANDS!
Your body: Wash yourself with a proper hunting scent free soap. Many hunting soaps leave a residue behind that kills bacteria, which definitely helps hold off body odor for a while after use. It’s really the bacteria breaking down your sweat etc, which creates the deer spooking odor. Regular soap does not kill bacteria for an extended period of time and usually contains fragrances as well. Use a hunter’s underarm deodorant like Scent Shield. I started using Biowild when it came out last year and it really works. You spray Odor Block on your pits, the center of your chest and any other odor producing areas like the backs of your knees. It lasts for days slowing down the perspiration and any related odors. Foot odor block is probably an even more important product which significantly dampens down foot odor and sweat. Dust yourself down, especially your crotch with Hunters Edge. It’s also good to rub some through your hair. Hair is another place that generates and holds lots of odor. Avoid spicy, smelly foods, excessive alcohol, garlic, beans, etc. Before heading into the woods, start chewing a piece of Gum-o-flage, a regular mild gum, or eat an apple to get rid of odors from your breath.
Boots: Boots really fall under the clothes category, but they are such a special problem that they warrant some specific discussion. As we step down, our boots give off a puff of air, rich with all the odors of our feet. That could be a problem couldn’t it? Don’t wear your hunting boots to do anything but hunt. Store them thoroughly dusted down with Hunters Edge. Spray them down with scent free spray before heading out. Dust down your feet with Hunters Edge and if necessary, take it up a notch and spray your feet down with foot odor block from Biowild. It lasts for almost two weeks before you need to reapply. Before heading into the woods, spray your boots with a little cover scent such as fall essence or fox or coon urine.
Your Tree: Assuming you’re a tree stand hunter, you need to be careful of leaving scent on and leading to your tree. To climb up we end up touching the ladder, the steps, the tree, etc. Again, the biggest thing is to spray down your hands before touching anything. You should have a small bottle of scent free spray in your pack and use it. If you leave your funky human odor trail leading to your tree and up to your stand then not only during your hunt but long afterwards, all night long, even while your curled up in bed, your lingering scent trail is warning every deer that passes by to steer clear. Worse, if they detect human odor more than once in that spot, it will take a long time before they are comfortable in that area again.
Equipment: Frequently spray down your equipment with an odor absorbing spray. Spray your hands before touching your equipment. One thing to be careful of is the residue that the sprays leave behind. Don’t leave a layer of it on your arrow or arrow rest or it may well make noise when you draw. Other than that, give everything a good coating. I believe lots of guys are betrayed by their backpacks. We are constantly touching the stuff in our packs with our bare hands. The rope we carry to haul up our bows etc has been run through our fingers over and over again, collecting more and more odor each time. Does your sheathe have little bits of dried blood, meat, guts, etc. from deer gone by? Mine does, no matter how I try to clean it afterwards. Once again, scent free powder, specifically Hunters Edge is our best friend. Sprinkle some in your pack every hunt or two. Once in a while, dump out the powder that has accumulated at the bottom of your pack. Sprays can only work on the surfaces that they hit. The powder works its way into everything and is perfectly suited to descent your pack. When I dig in my pack, puffs of powder waft out and I know no deer will be able to pick up any scent coming from it.
Clothes: Wash your hunting clothes with a proper scent free hunting soap. Regular laundry soap usually contains fragrances and UV brighteners that will work against you. Before you move your clothes from the washer to the dryer, spray your hands with scent free spray. It’s best to hang your clothes to dry outside where they won’t pick up unnatural odors. If you have to use a dryer remember that dryers suck air from your house, heat it and blow it through your clothes. That means all the odors in your house are attaching themselves to your clothes as the dryer runs.
Once your clothes are dry, spray your hands before touching your clothes and pack them away. There are two ways to go at this point. You could try to keep your clothes as scent free as possible or you could add cover scents to your clothes. I pack my clothes with Hunters Edge scent absorbing powder, going the scent free route. I feel it’s best to try and absorb every scent molecule possible until I go hunting. Puffs of powder and dust billow off of me as I get dressed but the scent absorbing powder has permeated my clothes making them more scent absorbing than any carbon suit ever made. Lots of hunters will pack their clothes with cover scents, either natural scent from acorns, leaves, branches, etc. thrown in with the clothes or using a purchased cover scent like earth scent or fall essence etc. I can’t say they’re wrong but as I said I try to keep scent free as much as possible and only add cover scents when I’m about to hunt. Pack your clothes as air tight as possible until it’ s time to hunt. Garbage bags shouldn’t be used to store your clothes because they give off a pretty strong petroleum odor. I use Rubbermaid type totes with thin foam weather strip around the top. Once scent free powder has been in them awhile, they don’t give off the plastic or petroleum smell that they do initially.